Desmond O’Hagan 2-Day workshop for pastel and oil painters: “Capturing Light - interpreting values and shapes”

Friday, December 13 from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Introduction & Artist Talk)
Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (1 hour lunch break)
Sunday, December 15 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (1 hour lunch break)
Each day will begin with a demonstration.

Desmond O'Hagan was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, and was raised in the United States. He has been professionally painting for 35 years and resides in Denver, Colorado, where he devotes his time to his art in oils and pastels, and traveling throughout the world.

He has long been considered one of the leading urbanscape artists in the world. In the field, he has won many major awards for his artwork – including:

Colorado Governor’s Art Show People’s Choice Award 2022
Southwest Art Magazine's Award of Excellence (twice)
International Assoc. of Pastel Societies' Prix'd Pastel Award
IAPS Juried Show's The Maggie Price Award for Excellence
Colorado Governor’s Invitational Art Show Award of Merit 2020, 2019, 2018

Awards at the Pastel Society of America's Annual Shows in New York City:

Mrs. Pearl Kalikow Award
Hudson Valley Art Association Award
Connecticut Pastel Society Award

He has also won the George Innes, Jr. Memorial Award from the Salmagundi Club, and the Top Five Plein Air Paintings Award at the "Altitude & Attitude" Exhibition in Denver, Colorado.

For years, his artwork has been selected for inclusion in a number of prestigious exhibitions across America including Denver Rotary Club's "Artists of America", Colorado Governor's Invitational Art Show, The Pastel Society of America (NYC), and the Salmugundi Club in New York City.

Mr. O'Hagan has also been invited to exhibit artwork internationally in Japan, China, Canada, and France.

Mr. O’Hagan is a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, and is listed in Who's Who in American Art, Who's Who in America, and in the Hall of Fame at the Art Institute of Colorado.

In May 2005, he was inducted into the International Association of Pastel Societies' "Master Circle". In 2018, he was awarded Eminent Pastelist status by IAPS.

"All art is a form of story-telling, and mine tells the story of interpreting light – a constant element in my paintings. Whether it is the subtle colors of dusk, or a simple stream of light in a dimly lit interior, all these effects motivate me to capture the image on canvas of paper. Throughout the years, I've worked in watercolor, acrylics, charcoal, pen & ink, and monotypes, but my primary focus is oils and pastels. With oils, I enjoy the expressive brush strokes and the way paint can be manipulated on canvas or paper. With pastels, I love the texture, the explosive color, and the bold strokes I can achieve." — Desmond O’Hagan, 2016

Workshop Suppy List

Set of soft pastels with a good variety of dark, medium, and light colors (no oil pastels or nu pastels). The brands I use are Unison, Rembrandt, Sennelier, and Jack Richeson soft pastels. If interested (but not necessary for the workshop), I have designed a pastel set for Jack Richeson Co. titled Desmond O'Hagan Essential Pastels which can be purchased at Dakota Arts and Judson Art Outfitters:

https://www.dakotapastels.com/product/RichesonHR40DesmondOHagan?cat=242&idsku=18890

https://www.judsonsart.com/collections/richeson-instructor-sets/products/desmond-ohagan-essential-pastel-set-40

Also bring a drop cloth, pastel paper of choice (not too heavily sanded), easel, drawing board support for pastel paper, masking tape, kneaded eraser, and a variety of photographs from which to work.

If working in oils, the colors I use, if interested, are Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Viridian, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Titanium White. Please use water soluble oils or have odorless thinner for painting. I recommend a variety of brush sizes including some larger flats or brights (8 or 10).

Lastly, please bring two medium thick point magic markers (black and medium grey) and a few sheets of regular white printer paper.